A Cottage by the Sea - On My Mind

Start everything with gratitude!

10/23/2021

If you’ve been following this blog for a while, you undoubted know that I am big on expressing gratitude. My mom started her day with her four: her family and friends, health, faith, and life. She knew how to sum it up,; to be sure, gratitude was at the forefront of what she did each day. I try to do the same.
From time to time we all can find ourselves down or depressed, and some people seem to have a more negative disposition than others. And then, the pandemic has brought all of us new challenges to how we respond to what going on. Gratitude doesn’t always become our default position.
In a recent group discussion I participated, two of us started by sharing something positive, three with something negative. I’m not belittling the tough stuff that’s going on with people; I’m just observing. I know and believe that the way we start the day, a conversation, or an activity affects our attitude toward it, and even the outcome.

Writing routine--time and space

10/20/2021

The sole writing teacher I ever had taught only five things. He said that to be a writer five practices were necessary: (1) Write in the same place every day; (2) Write at the same time every day; (3) Write the same amount of time every day; (4) If the words do not flow, sit there and stare at the paper or screen till the designated period of time is over, then return the next day to try again; and (5) Never, ever, let anybody read what you have written until it’s finished, otherwise the bubbles will go off the champagne.

Joan Chittister, prolific spiritual writer, passes on these principles from her writing teacher. I resonate with this practical advice, not just for my writing but for other aspects of my life. Create daily order of time, space , and persona commitment so that creativity can flow. Chittister goes on to say that this advice has also affected her spiritual life. Of course. Whatever is of value to us needs the structure of time, space, and personal commitment to ground us. Without it, we wildly fly about reacting impulsively to the latest random happening that comes our way. visionviewpoint@benetvision.org

October 18th, 2021

10/18/2021

Where to begin? Ah, baseball.
A week ago I flew home from Italy, arriving in Boston in time to see the lights of Fenway Park as the bus passed by and hear the fans cheering the Red Sox to a playoff win. A week later they are tied 1-1 with the Astros for the American League Championship. On Wednesday I’ll be at the 5th game of the series with my son and daughter-in-law. It could be the clincher to send the Sox onto the World Series.
Memories of my Brooklyn Dodger childhood and that 1955 championship win! We are honoring them in our home today.

Rome, October 2021

10/12/2021

Three days in Rome and now on the plane home. Too busy to post. I walked approximately 10 miles a day, and got full benefit out of my 72 hour bus pass. Big bus trip was to get a covid test in order to get into the U.S.. Negative; I could have told them that. I’ve felt super healthy the entire trip.
When I get home, or very likely on Tuesday, I’ll add a slide show to this. No theme, other than places and pictures I love of Rome.
But my energy will turn to being back home. Very grateful for both. Home made the trip possible and joyful.

Last days (for now) in Florence

10/9/2021

My last full day in Florence. I had no special plans nor did I want any. I decided I would do what I tell people I do when I come here--walk around with God. I just let my legs take me where they would.
After my usual wander to the Arno and across the Ponte Vecchio, I stopped at Santa Trinita, one of my prayer churches. Next a coffee stop at Il Cantinetta di Verrezzano, where I sat for my first cappuccino, a delicious brioche. Next, another go-to caffe, Chiaro Scuro. And so the day went...and of course, my merry-go-round ride!

My last morning, before my 8:59 train to Rome; my final morning walk, stopping for a quick cappuccino to say arriverdverci to a barista friend.

Alone in a museum room--miraculous!

10/7/2021

Visiting museums in Florence during these pandemic times offers new challenges, at least at the most popular museums; reservations are a necessity, and due to social distancing fewer people are admitted at one time. This has complicated entry to the Uffizi, Academia, and Museo del Opera di Santa Maria dei Fiori (theDuomo), but gaining entry to the other museums and to the churches has proved quite simple.
In fact, due to the miraculous benefit of fewer tourists, I have entered rooms in the Bargello and San Marco only to discover that I was the only human being present. The realization is awesome; literally being there alone grounds me in the miraculousness of silence and solitude, as well as a feeling of simplicity amongst all the complexity involved in the art.

The other morning I was the first to enter the Bargello, which houses the sculpture of the Uffizi. Most visitors start on the ground floor with Michelangelo, Cellini, and Giambologna, but I climbed the inside courtyard steps, turned to the right and entered the Donatello Room. I was there alone for over five minutes before a few people wandered in; alone with Donatello’s David, and with works by Verocchio and della Robbia, I was alone with the Sacrifice of Issac, models crafted by Brunelleschi and Ghiberti for the contest for the ‘Gates of Paradise.’

The following day I experienced another miraculous visit, this time to the Covent of San Marco. It was mid-morning; there were other visitors, but I was alone when I entered the newly renovate room displaying the recently restored altar pieces painted by Far Angelico. Oh, that lapis lazuli (blue), and gold leaf!

I was also alone along the corridor of the monks cells, each of which displays a FrAngelico fresco depicting the life of Christ. I’ve had many opportunities to stand alone in one of the corridors. I can never get enough of it.

For those of of us who love silence, solitude, and simplicity and sometimes like to be alone, all of this was miraculous.

I'm glad I came...to Italy

10/2/2021

Deciding to take this trip was one of the more important decisions I have made in quite a while, and one of the most challenging. In fact, it was a one of a kind decision, with a life and death aspect to it. And yet, per usual, once made, I didn’t look back, nor did I have any fear. I’m glad I came.
I’m not taking this time in Italy for granted—covid won’t let me do that. There is a preciousness to everything I’m doing: the big things, such as going to museums; the small things, like where to stop for the first cappuccino of the day; and the in-between things, such as which street I wander down. I’m glad I came.
Most of all, I’m glad I came to absorb the gratitude expressed by the Florentines during these Covid times. They are grateful to be walking the streets after the country’s complete lockdown. They do what they have to do to enter any public building—show their green (vaccination) card and wear a mask. And then they go on with life, the Italian way, living joyfully in the moment. This positive, joyful energy, and this living in and for the moment is palpable. Worth bringing home, which makes me more willing to say, I’m glad came

Travel to Italy in 2021

9/30/2021

I’ve often said that if I were homeless I’d live in an airport. The ease of this trip is affirming that choice. We got off on time from Boston and arrive a half hour early in Paris— benefited from the headwinds and because there are fewer flights these days for air traffic control to manage.

Terminal E at Logan Airport looked like a ghost town. No waiting in line to check in or to pass through security. The security folk were serious but relaxed—they chatted with us as they did their job. Only a tiny bar and pizza place was available at this international terminal. Folks were spread out, waiting for one of the five or six evening flights to Europe.
I wouldn’t be surprised if most of the people on the flight were flying for the first time in over a year and a half (My last flight was in September 2019 to Florence). The new Air France jet was huge, with three seats along the window side and four in the middle. Covid safe! — one passenger for every three seat. We were spread out, one traveler per row, giving us pace to lie down to sleep and rest our legs. Service was prompt; no lines for the lavatory.
Charles de Gaul airport was busier. After all, I was in Europe! People were going places—within the EU, around the world. As I sat waiting for my flight to Rome, I felt I was stepping back into life—something I can’t do alone. I need all these other people leading their lives, checking their phones, going wherever they need to go, wearing their masks, showing their Covid vaccine card.
Now that I am in Florence, I am feeling that the U.S. is somewhere else, isolated, doing its thing, some trying to clean up the mess, others trying to rewrite its history, while the rest of the world is moving forward together.

Visiting the Duomo terrace

9/30/2021

Traveling solo means I can do what I want when I want. Most mornings I’m organized about how the day will go, but today I did some random wandering. It took me a while to choose where to get my first cappuccino before deciding to purchase Duomo tickets.
I thought I knew the procedure, having done so at least a dozen times. But no, everything has changed, from the location of the ticket office, to the need to reserve the precise times for each entry, to the cost, which has gone up appreciable!! The good news, however, is that groups can visit the outside terrace that surrounds the nave. And so I purchased a ticket for the 10:15 tour. My reservation for the Museo die Opera del Duomo is for Wednesday; this year I’m bypassing a climb to very top.
Here are the pictures. Noice the big ‘flower pots’ with tiles below them. The pots collects rain water, which over 30 years will flow to age the tiles for Duomo stonemasons to use for repairs. Hmm, it took about 16 years to build the dome, 30 years to get a few stones ready for use.

Florence in 2021

9/29/2021

From my arrival at Santa Maria Novella train station to the view from my hotel room. Very Grateful!